


Monster

by Casxfer



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers Family, Avengers Tower, Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Bruce Banner Angst, Bruce Banner Feels, Bruce Banner Has Issues, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Bruce Banner-centric, Post-Avengers (2012), Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Is a Good Bro, hulk out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 06:15:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18654610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casxfer/pseuds/Casxfer
Summary: The Avengers are sent on a mission to save children mutants who have been taken by a crazed scientist and been experimented on.Bruce knows exactly what its like to be experimented on, and it doesn't bring back pleasant memories for him....But the Avengers try and prove to him that he's no monster and deserves so much more than what he believes.





	Monster

**Author's Note:**

> eeeek okay so i’m not too proud of it this cos of heaps of reasons,,,,, but I feel as though the characters r a bit ooc oops. but a big shoutout to my girlfriend who was my beta reader and helped make it that lil bit better aha. anyways enjoy! <3

It’s funny how simple things can rip open old wounds and cause so much destruction. But that’s just what Bruce’s life was, a matter of revisiting things that were buried deep in his conscious for a reason. A good reason for that matter. 

This mission that the Avengers (minus Thor, he was still in Asgard) were called to take care of was supposed to be no different from when they take down HYDRA thugs. Fury had briefed them on the mission, and it seemed easy enough to handle.

Allegedly, a scientist had been experimenting on young children, more specifically young mutants. For whatever reason, it was unknown but all that was needed to know was that they were being held captive there. Much to Bruce’s relief there was no need for the Hulk, instead, Fury wanted the good Doctors help in assisting the children out. Of course, Bruce couldn't be happier to finally feel somewhat useful without being The Hulk.

In under 30 minutes flat, the whole team was out of the tower, suited up and on their way to the coordinates Fury had sent on where the supposed warehouse was. When they arrived, the building clearly wasn't anything special. The whole place looked as though it’d collapse any second.

“Barton, Romanoff, Banner, you take care of the kids. Stark, you’re with me, let’s try and get this done quickly and efficiently. I don't want any kid hurt-”

“You talk as though I’m gonna kill a kid,” Tony snarled at Steve, always wanting a rise out of the soldier.

“Just listen for once in your life, c’mon” He sighed, picking up his shield and running out of the Quinjet towards the building.

As Tony soared into the skies and Cap ran into the dark and eerie building ahead, the two assassins and physicist went on their own way in trying to find the young prisoners. Bruce couldn't help but feel himself get angry. This man had captured young children and god knows did what to them. Ripping them apart, trying to figure out how they work. Bruce could feel his pulse quicken, never a good sign for him, and willed his emotions to calm down.

“You good Doc? Your eyes-” Natasha’s warm voice pulled him out of his mind and quickly grounded him before he got too far.

“What? Oh - uh, yeah, no I’m fine. Just uh,” He squeezed his eyes shut, building the walls between him and his monster even higher.

“Kinda hitting close to home. The quicker we do this, the better.” He clenched his jaw and willed a fleeting smile to his teammate. 

_ Yep, the quicker the better before we have a big green problem. _

Finally, after running around for some time they heard the cries of the children locked up in a small cell. There had to be about 20 of them, all squished into the one. Quickly, Clint shot the lock right off the gate and set them free. Bruce knew that the assassins had done missions like this, saving kids, but Bruce — not like this anyway. He helped the sick, not the abused. He couldn't. And seeing the bruises that so many of them carried made Bruce  _ angry _ .

“Please, we have to get out of here quickly before he comes back - if he comes back, he’ll hurt us. Please,” A young girl begged — she had beautiful snake-like eyes — and had gripped onto Bruce’s shaking hand like stone; as if he was her lifeline.

“Please, he’ll experiment on us — rip us apart you have to help us,”

_ Lab tables. White coats. Ross. Syringes. Tearing him apart. Screams. His screams. _

_ “You’re a monster, you filthy piece of shit-” _

_ “Tear him apart, rip him apart, I don't care, but I want him to feel the pain.” _

_ “The blood on your hands Banner my god - you are bathing in it. Reeks of nothing but death. Do you realise what you have done to so many people in this world? The families you have ruined? The lives you have taken away?” _

“Banner, c’mon we gotta go. Cap and Stark have him, he’ll get what he deserves. Now let's get these kids to safety-” Barton called out to him.

Bruce whipped his head to look at him, his eyes wide and filled with so much emotion. Too many emotions, you could barely read.

“No, no, no… I can’t-” Bruce exasperated, and the assassin’s eyes widened. They knew that seeing these abused children would strike a chord, but then again, they thought maybe the doctor could handle it. Perhaps not.

“Fuck, everyone out quick c’mon!” Barton was quick to get the kids to safety as soon as possible, Natasha following suit.

And Bruce’s carefully constructed wall crumbled in his mind. And everything went green. Rage completely consuming him.

Bruce awoke to the soft hum of the Quinjet and the whispers of the children.  _ Oh my god, the children.  _ Bruce jolted up, with wide eyes looking amongst the jet. Everyone seemed okay and he wasn't in the mitts of Ross or SHIELD. So that was at least one positive so far.

“Oh my god — What — What did I do? Did I hurt anyone?” He exclaimed, his voice husky. Obviously, the Other Guy had been quite vocal today.

“Everyone’s fine, Big Guy. Don’t worry about it,” Now Tony Stark, of course, was one of the best liars all around, but not when it came to his best friend. Bruce could see straight past it and his stomach dropped.

“Tony, who was it? Was it a - a kid?” He slowly said, his voice quivering.

“Of course not! Do you really think that little of yourself? C’mon! It was that fucking scientist, he had it coming. He was lucky I didn't kill him.” He called from where he was flying the jet, his back to Bruce.

Bruce swallowed harshly, a vivid flash of the Other Guy crushing the man’s head in his hands. Quickly the physicist went to the bathroom on board of the jet and vomited up nothing but bile.

_ This was going to be one long ride. _

When the team finally got to New York the children were checked over and soon picked up by the X-Men to be returned to where they were stolen from.

Tony wasn't too surprised to find Bruce in his cage, and not his bed. Still, in barely any clothing, just the remainders of his shredded pants, shivering on the cold floor. Tony made sure whenever to approach Bruce to make it obvious (without sounding threatening at the same time) to not scare the man.

“Figured I’d find you here.” Tony reached the cage, his science bro’s back towards him, frantically shaking. 

“You haven't used this since-” the engineer blew out a breath with a whistle. God, when was the last time he had used this? It was forever. Maybe when the Avengers had just gotten together, and Bruce didn't trust himself to rest up after transforming in his own bed.

“Since the band first got together. I was actually gonna get rid of this room, maybe build you this meditation room — for you to come and chill out in. Where no one — not even me, can come in. Cos’ you don't need this,”

What did Tony know about what he needed? That angered Bruce, he had no idea whatsoever what it was like. What he had to live with, the fear of his every thought, move and emotion. This was one of the only things that could successfully contain his alter ego, and yet Tony wanted to throw it all away. As if it didn't matter, as if he trusted Bruce.

“And with the kids… back at that warehouse. I get it, totally get it- why you lost control. The abuse they had endured. Yeah, I mean I definitely got my fair share of hits from dear old dad. It makes you sick, how someone can just do that,”

The room remained silent, so Tony did all that he really was good at. And that was rambling.

“But you’re not a monster, Bruce. So just come on out, I'll take you to your room-”

Bruce felt as though he hardly had himself under control at the moment, he was still rebuilding those walls after they had shattered. So, at this moment, Bruce was extremely vulnerable to emotions after his transformation. That's why he’d always seclude himself from everyone.

Bruce jumped up (his pants thankfully just hanging onto his waist- barely) and yelled until he was red in the face. Though, not a glimpse of green ever appeared.

“I’m a monster, Tony! Why can’t you just see that?!” Tony didn't flinch.

“Because you’re a fucking hero! You saved-”

“Oh please, give me a break! A hero… are you hearing yourself right now?!” Bruce scoffed rolling his eyes, placing his hands upon his hips.

He seriously wanted to be left on his own to stew in his own misery and self-hatred. Was that too much to ask?

But Tony had started this, so Bruce was going to play along. And of course, Bruce’s famous temper got the best of him.

“You know it’s kinda ironic how everything came to be in the end, my dad used to always call me a monster. And look at where we are now, the biggest monster on this earth. He should've killed me alongside my mother.”

“Don’t you fucking say that, Banner. Don’t you fucking dare-” 

Bruce could barely hold himself up anymore and slumped to the ground, the exhaustion of the transformation taking its toll on his body.

“I’m not fighting with you on this, Tony. I’ll be gone in the morning if that makes you feel any better,” His voice was slowly depleting as his energy left him. He just wanted to sleep, even if that meant facing the terrors of his dream. Filled with none other but Ross and Brian.

“Yeah... the famous Bruce Banner, nothing but a coward. Always the one to run away from his problems. You know one time you need to fight it head on-”

“When you turn into an 8-foot-tall green rage monster with a short temper and a personality disorder, then you can come talk to me about that. Until then…” 

Just when Bruce thought he was done he had that little more to get off his chest.

“You know what your problem is Tony, you think you can solve and fix everything, but you know what? You can’t! I’m not some broken machine that can easily be fixed and be perfectly good again!”

“It’s like talking to a fucking brick wall, I swear to god. Get some sleep Banner, you’re too tired for this shit. And quite frankly, so am I.” And with that, Tony stormed out. Fumes practically coming out of his ears.

_ Well, that was fun. Way to go Banner. _

As Tony reached the main living room of the Tower he went straight to pouring himself a cup of liquor. I mean, that was really the only way he knew how to handle his own emotions.

After a few glasses, he told J.A.R.V.I.S to get everyone around in the living room immediately.  They had some shit to discuss about their fellow teammate.

It wasn't like Bruce ended up getting any sleep, his mind was working at a constant rate so there was no way. All he was currently doing was beating himself up on the conversation he had with Tony. Tony was his friend — his best friend, one of the only friends he’s had in so long. Finally, someone who wasn't afraid of him. Who made him feel at home, make him feel like he was part of a family. And he had treated him like shit, practically throwing everything Tony had ever done for him in his face. Bruce didn't have a home, never really did, and here Tony was; with open arms, letting him into his house. Yet, Bruce was horrible to him.

_ God, I really am a monster. I bet you’re fucking flipping in your grave, Dad. _

Suddenly Bruce's thoughts were interrupted by J.A.R.V.I.S’ smooth voice.

“I’m sorry for interrupting you, Doctor Banner, but Sir wanted you to see this,”

And then a video played in his cage.

“Hey Bruce, so I uh... know that our conversation didn’t really go too well, but I meant everything I said. Well, apart from the whole ‘you’re a coward’ because that was wrong. I was wrong. I have no idea, at all, what it’s like to be you and I never will. But maybe you can help me — help us all — to try and understand. You can't just keep locking yourself up man,” Tony’s voice played, his voice carrying nothing but love and kindness for his science bro. And alongside him was the team.

“We’re your friends, but most importantly, we’re your family, Doctor Banner. And we don’t leave anyone behind, so we need to work through what you’re dealing with together. You can't do this alone, Bruce. You’re a strong man, stronger than all of us. And I know you can get through this with the help of all of us.” Steve had then begun to talk, and man was it weird to hear him call him by his first name. But that wasn’t the weirdest thing to Bruce, it was the fact that he called this team, his friends, and dare he say it, his family. They believed that Bruce belonged to this group of people, that he was apart of it alongside them all.

He always felt expendable, as though they were all using him for the Hulk. And maybe- just maybe, they wanted him because he was more than that. He was more than just the raging beast. There is a man behind the muscle, and they all saw that. They saw past it all. Even after everything they had been through with him. Whenever he’d lose control, they were always there to reel him back to his senses. To talk him down and be there to catch Bruce when he came back to himself.

The more that Bruce thought about it the clearer everything became. Maybe these guys were his family, and he was blind about it all this whole time.

“I know what it’s like Doc, to be afraid of your mind. To feel as though your thoughts aren’t yours. Trust me, Loki really did a number on me that time. And you know who was always there for me to help me through it all? Yeah, that’s right; you were. You were there for me and understood me in a way nobody else could. And so, I’m always going to be here for you man, always. We all are.” It was now Clint’s turn to speak, and Bruce couldn’t help but feel as though maybe he could finally talk to his friends about everything. Maybe that’s what was needed. 

He never had spoken to anyone about his feelings. Too afraid of what it may entail. His emotions were way too scary for him to visit, so of course, he’d bottle them all up. Only until it’d blow up in his face, and he’d end up seeing green.

Maybe that was his problem. He never spoke to anyone about anything. God, he could be so blind. And it hurt to say, that maybe these guys were right. About everything. 

“You’re not some animal to be locked up and abused. You’re a human being, no matter if you see it or not. All we see is an amazing, kind and intelligent man and the Other Guy, well he’s just as amazing. Even if again, you can't see it. You both have saved countless lives. I know what’s it like to have so much blood on your hands, Bruce, trust me I’ve most likely killed a lot more than you have — Stark here, he probably has as well. Please just let us help you like you have helped us so many times.” and finally, Natasha spoke up.

“Just think about it, Big Guy. But always know we’re here for you. If you wanna leave, go ahead, we won't stop you. I mean I will, and I’ll search the whole world to find you and then kick-” That earned an elbow to the stomach from Romanoff, as Tony rambled.

“Ouch! Yep, not the point, but totally not lying about it. Anyway, the point is you’re not a monster and you can talk to us about anything. I hope this got through that thick skull of yours and maybe you’ll join us cos’ we’re gonna be watching  _ Lord of the Rings  _ tonight,”

“My suggestion, just saying!” Clint interrupted, with a wide grin.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever Bird Brain. But we’ll hopefully see you later, Bruce.”

And with a wave from everyone in the video, it clicked off. Leaving the physicist once again alone, to think about everything he had just watched.

“You think he’s gonna come around?” Clint asked as he settled on the couch next to Natasha, popcorn in hands.

“Maybe, I don't know. As much as he is predictable, he can be completely unpredictable too.” Tony responded, rubbing his calloused hands across his face.

He really hoped that the video got through to him. He honestly doesn't know what else he could do. And he doesn't know how he’d handle it if Bruce did end up leaving. Bruce was his other half and the only person who could quite easily keep up with his erratic mind. Everything would collapse without him. And he’d only ever be one half of a person.

“Sir, Doctor Banner has left the cage and appears to be heading to your current floor.” And that was all Tony needed to hear to know that everything from here on out might well and truly be, okay.


End file.
